Hello, Friend! Happy Tuesday!
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I haven’t done one of these in a while, so today I’ve got a 3-2-1 to share! We have 3 nutrition-related notes, 2 impactful quotes, and 1 question! Check them out and share your thoughts in the comments!
3 Nutrition-Related Notes
Note #1: The “You Are What You Eat” Documentary on Netflix
No, I haven’t watched this yet. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. But I wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone that we shouldn’t take everything we see on Netflix/TikTok/YouTube/Instagram, etc as absolute fact.
This is not to say that I have anything against being Vegan, I don’t, and you should eat that way if it’s best for you! I also am not saying that the study or results aren’t real, just that it’s worth understanding the whole story before making any decisions about your food plan. (I wrote a blog post on this study the other day too!)
Anyway, I did a little research on the background of this study and the documentary and found this: “The twin study’s senior author, Christopher Gardner, and the first person we hear from in the show, is the director of nutrition studies at Stanford Prevention Research Center. He’s also the director of Stanford’s Plant-Based Diet Initiative, which is funded by Beyond Meat. Gardner is ‘mostly vegan,’ according to a Stanford press release. So a documentary directed by a vegan, based on a study done by a vegan (who directs a program funded by vegan food), somehow miraculously comes to the conclusion that we should all be vegans. And absolutely none of this is disclosed.”1
One more thought on this. The majority of Americans don’t get even close to eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables per day, so if this causes people to eat more fruits and veggies, GREAT!
Note #2: Two Instagram accounts to consider following if you eat/spend time with kids!
These accounts are great for food guides for kids, like how to talk about the benefits of protein at different ages, for example. But, they’re also helpful for advising/reminding adults of how they talk about themselves, their bodies, exercise, their relationship with food, etc. in front of kids.
Sample posts:
@feedinglittles (especially useful if you have a baby and are considering Baby Led Weaning; I took their BLW course and enjoyed it!)
Sample post:
Any other accounts or resources you like to follow centered around kids and food? Share in the comments!
Note #3: Food I’ve Been Loving Lately: Edamame
Not only is edamame delicious, but it’s got some serious protein and fiber content! A great option if you’re trying to eat more plants and less meat! I buy the shelled, frozen bags of it at the store, steam them in the microwave with a little water, drain and serve with a little salt!
I even pureed some to serve to baby, minus the salt! She enjoyed them!
2 Impactful Quotes
Quote #1:
“There is a kind of time travel in letters, isn’t there? I imagine you laughing at my small joke; I imagine you groaning; I imagine you throwing my words away. Do I have you still? Do I address empty air and the flies that will eat this carcass? You could leave me for five years, you could return never–-and I have to write the rest of this not knowing.”
From This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Admittedly, this was not the best book I’ve ever read, but some of the quotes were super thought provoking… like this one.
Maybe we don’t write as many actual letters anymore, but I imagine a similar feeling could be applied to emails or texts. You write your thoughts, feelings, ideas, projects, vulnerable messages, confessions and, while you’re writing, you never actually know if the other person will read it fully, how they’ll feel about it, or what happens to your words otherwise. Woah.
Quote #2:
“How shall I live?
I want to feel both the beauty and the pain of the age we are living in. I want to survive my life without becoming numb. I want to speak and comprehend words of wounding without having these words become the landscape where I dwell. I want to possess a light touch that can elevate darkness to the realm of stars.
This vascular malformation could bleed and burst. Or I can simply go on living, appreciating my condition as a vulnerable human being in a vulnerable world, guided by the songs of birds. What is time, sacred time, but the acceleration of consciousness? There are so many ways to change the sentences we have been given.
We cannot do it alone. We do it alone.”
— Terry Tempest Williams
This quote screamed BALALNCE to me. Wanting to feel passion without letting yourself be overcome by it. Wanting to move through life without becoming numb to it. Wanting to be able to speak your mind without those words being held against you forever. It sure can be tough to navigate life!
Did you read this quote differently from the way I did?! Please share!
1 Question to Think About
What are your top 3 values, and why?
Okay okay okay, this question might seem lame, but hear me out.
If we can nail down what our top personal values are right now, and keep them in mind for as long as they resonate with us, then they can serve as guidance for us in making decisions that speak to what we want and find most important.
Personal Values are the things that are important to us, the characteristics and behaviors that motivate us and guide our decisions.
These may be a simplistic examples, but I imagine they show what I’m talking about.
If you decide that you value your health, then it’s an easier decision not to drink alcohol in excess every night. And, it becomes easier to say no to offerings of alcohol.
If you decide that you value authenticity, then it may be easier to speak your mind out loud instead of keeping your opinions to yourself.
If you decide that you value security, then you can make investments into literal home security as well as emergency savings accounts that can cover your needs for a whole year.
These are just example, but I imagine you can see how the connection of values and identities to our actions can be incredibly impactful.
Give this exercise a try and see if it supports you in making choices that speak to what YOU value most!
I’d love to hear your thoughts or comments about ANY of these shares! Please comment here or email me your thoughts at sara@nutritionforlifeproject.com!
As always, thank you for reading,
xoxo,
Sara
https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2024/01/you-are-what-you-eat-a-twin-experiment-netflix-review/
One thing I have learned over the last 2 years taking my Masters in Health and Physical Education is that you always have to ask: who funded this study? What is their agenda? Nutrition studies usually provide the least reliable data. They are either heavily funded by large companies or institutions or they use observational data or food frequency questionnaires: both of which are highly subjective.
I am glad I found your articles. great stuff!
Lots to think about in here! I've been hearing so much (good and bad) about the new Netflix doc. I agree with you that it's at least a good reminder to eat more veggies - I could certainly use more of those!